Auxiliary valve for internal-combustion engines.



F. MORGAN.

AUXILIARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED 056.19.1914.

1 ,142, 1 94, Patented J une 8, 1915.

FRANK MORGAN, '0F MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS. l

AUXILIARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL-GOMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

Application filed December 19, 1914. Serial No. 878,008.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK MORGAN, a subject of the Kingdom of Great Britain, residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Auxiliary Valves for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an auxiliary air valve designed for use on internal combustion engines particularly engines used for driving automobiles.

It has been found from experience in the use of carbureters with internal combustion engines that when the carbureter is so adjusted that the mixture contains the proper relative proportions of air and gasolene or other fuel to secure perfect combustion that the engine will not operate successfully under all conditions. By this I mean that if the mixture'is just right, any sudden opening of the throttle to increase the speed orto take a rade will invariably weaken the mixture and cause a choking 'and frequently a stopping or stalling of the engine. To obviate this result it is the practice to so adjust the carbureter that the fuel mixture is richer in gasolene or other fuel than is required forgeneral running conditions. In order therefore to take care of a temporary condition, that is, the sudden opening of the throttle, the mixture is made rlchcr atthe expense of general running conditions. The result is that the excess fuel is deposited upon the cylinders, valves and spark plugs in the form of carbon which in time reduces the eiciency of the engine and requires overhauling and cleaning. It also results in loss of power through incomplete combustion and in waste of fuel.

It yhas been proposedto mount upon the intake manifold an auxiliary air valve operated by hand from the drivers seat so that the rich mixture may be reduced by the admission of air into the intake manifold under ordinary running conditions to a mixture of proper proportions. Such valves, however, have not been found satisfactory because they not only require constant attention md manipulation on the part of the driver, but also, that the driver be possessed of more-than ordinary skill `in' order to manipulate them successfully.

The object of the present invention is,

therefore, to produce an auxiliary air valve for internal combustion engines that will operate, not only automatically and thus independent of the judgment of the individual engine operator, but also accuratelyand determinately, supplying the additional air in the properquantities, according to the requirements of the varying conditions under which the engine is operated.

A further object of the invention isV to provide a device which is flexible and to this end means are provided for adjusting the valve in order to regulate the point at which the pressure in the exhaust will operate the valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is simple in construction, durable and efficient in operation and of low cost of construction.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the application of my improved auxiliary air valve to an internal combustion engine, Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a four cylinder internal combustion engine showing the intake and the exhaust manifolds with my improved auxiliary air valve situated on the intake manifold and connected with the exhaust manifold; Fig. 2

is a plan view of the improvedjvalve; andl Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same, at right angles to Fig. 2.

In the drawings illustrating niy'invention applied to an internal combustion engine, Fig. 1 shows an engine having fourV cylinders 5, an intake manifold 6, an exhaust manifold Z and acarbureter 8, all of usual and ordinary construction, being merely a typical example of an internal'coin-f bustion engine. f

portion of the plunger is provided with an annular oove 17 so located that when the plunger 1s in its normal position as shown .95 In the illustrated embodiment of my inin Fig. 3, the groove is out of alinement with i the inlet 12 and outlet 13. That end of the valve casing at the shank end of the plunger is open'andprovided with an external thread to receive a threaded cap 18 which has a central bore through which the shank of the plunger projects. The cap in this respect serves as a bearing for the plunger shank. Mounted on the said shank Within the valve chamber is a helical spring 19 which abuts at one end the head of the plunger and at the other end the cap 18, the spring serving to keep the plunger in a forward' position to close the valve as shown in Fig. 3. The

other end ofthe valve casing is reduced in diameter and threaded at 20 to receive a pipe 21 which connects to and opens into the exhaust manifold of the engine. A passage 22 through this end of the valve casing allows the pressure from the exhaust manifold passing through the pipe 21 to bear against the head 15 of the plunger.

, The operation of my valve is as follows: It is so adjusted that when the engine is idling the valve remains closed. This is regulated by the pressure exerted on the plunger by the spring 19 and this pressure can be varied in either direction by turning the cap 18. When the amount of fuel passing through the engine is increased by the opening of the throttle, thepressure in the exhaust is increased and this pressure is communicated through the pipe 21 and passage v22 to the head 15 of the plunger, thereby moving the plunger toward the cap 18 and compressing the spring 19. This movement continues until the pressure of the compressed spring equalizes the exhaust pressure. 'As the plunger is moved longitudinally the groove '17 begins to register with the ports 12 and 13 allowing air to be drawn into the intake manifold to reduce the mixture to-proper proportions of air and fuel. I.

As the pressure in the exhaust increases, the

plunger is moved correspondingly fartherl admitting an increased amount of air. When the throttle is closed the pressure in the exhaust manifold falls and then thel vItmay also be remarked that the in ux of air into the intake manifold through my valve corresponds in amount to theincrease of fuell used, because the pressure'in the exhaust' manifold is increased proportionately to the increase in the power of the engine created by the increase in the amount of gaseous fluid flowing into the cylinders.

The result is that the amount of air flowing through the valve is regulated by the exhaust pressure and the mixture is reduced to proper proportions of air and fuel automatically.

In practicel my device, by reducing the mixture to correspond to the proportions of fuel and air for complete combustion, prevents the formation and deposit of carbon in the cylinders and on the valves and spark plugs of the engine and also eradicates waste of fuel, thereby maintaining the power and efficiency of the engine at its highest point.

My device may also be used as a primingr device to facilitate starting the engine in very cold weather. When so used the shank of the plunger may be grasped with the fingers and drawn to an open position which permits the injection of a small quantity of gasolene and ether `into the intake manifold.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be appreciated that my invention resides broadly in providing an auxiliary air valve, operable from the pressure of the exhaust, and While I have herein illustrated a practical embodiment of the invention involving the location of such auxiliary valve on theV intake manifold, it will be understood by -persons skilled in the art that the valve may be located in a vertical Way so as to be in operative association with parts of the engine other than directly with the said intake manifold. Further, that the invention is not to be limited to the details of the particular embodiment herein illustrated since the same is capable of embodiment in other forms of construction, as will be embraced Within the hereto appended claims.

What I claim is :f-

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable intake and exhaust portions, of an auxiliary air valve, and means whereby said air valve is o erated by the pressure of the exhaust to a 't 'air to the operating mixture.

2.l The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable intake and exhaust portions, of an auxiliary air valve, means-whereby said air valve is operated by the pressure of the exhaust to admit air to the operating mixture, and adjustable means for regulating the amount of pressure necessary to operate said valve.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable intake and exhaust portions, of an auxiliary air valve, and a connection between said valveA and the exhaust whereby the pressure of the exhaust operates to open the valve when said pressure reaches a predetermined point.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable intake and exhaust portions, of a valve for controllin the flow of air to the operating mixture, an means whereby said valve is operated to admit the air to said mixture when the pressure of the exhaust reaches a predetermined point.

5. The combination with an internal com-` by reason of an increase in consumption of explosion mixture in the engine, the valve is operated to allow an inilux of air to the operating mixture.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable inlet and ex-` haust portions, of a valve provided with means for holding it in a normally closed position, and means whereby said valve is opened by the pressure of the exhaust when the pressure reaches a predetermined oint, in order to admit air through said va ve to the o erating mixture.

7. e combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable inlet and exhaust portions, 4of a valve for controlling the flow of air into the intake, said valve being provided with'means for holding it in a normally closed position, means` whereb said valve is opened by the pressure of t e exhaust when said pressure reaches a predetermined point, and means for regulating the point at which the pressure will openy said valve.

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable intake and exhaust portions, of a valve casing having a valve c amber provided'with an inlet port open to the atmosphere and an outlet port opening to the operating mixture, a plunger mounted in the valve chamber controlhn the opening and closing of said orts, resihent means for maintaining sai plunger in such position as to close said ports, and

means operated by the exhaust for moving said plunger to open said orts when the pressure in the exhaust reac es a predetermined point. 4

9. The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable intake and exhaust portions, of aivalve casing having a valve chamber provided with an inlet port open to the atmosphere and an outlet port opening to the operating mixture, a plunger mounted in the valve chamber controlling the opening and closing of said ports, spring-actuated means for maintaining said plunger in such position as to close said ports, and means operated by the `exhaust or moving said plunger to opensaid ports when the ressure in the exhaust reaches a predetermined point.

10. The combination with an internal combustion engine having suitable inlet and exhaust portions, of a valve casing having a valve chamber provided with an inlet port open'to the atmosphere and an outlet port opening to the operating mixture, a plunger mounted in the valve chamber controlling.y

the opening and closing of said ports, spring actuated means for maintaining said plunger in such position as to close said ports, means for regulating the pressure exerted upon said plunger by said spring-actuated means, and means operated by the exhaust for moving said plunger to open said ports `when the ressure in the exhaust reaches a predetermined point. l -v'' In testimony whereof, I hereunto set rmy hand in the presence of two subscribi witnesses, this tiievseventeenth' day of December, 1914. n

FRANK MORGAN. Witnesses:

E. F. NUiAo, H. A. ENGLISH. 

